*[[Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills|Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills]]

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== History ==

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=== Courthouse ===

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The county is named after Mary Arundell, the wife of Sir John Somerset. Her sister married [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A6cilius_Calvert,_2nd_Baron_Baltimore Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore].<ref>[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Maryland_county_name_etymologies "List of Counties in Maryland,"] Wikipedia.</ref>

The 300 or fewer American Indians of Worcester county for the most part avoided fighting and preferred living next to their new British neighbors. They left the county by 1748 eventually ending up in [[Ontario|Ontario]].<ref name="WCMA">Reginald V. Truitt, and Millard G. Les Callette, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3016672&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results Worcester County Maryland’s Arcadia] (Snow Hill, Md.: Worcester County Historical Society, 1977), 3-5. [FHL book 975.221 H2t; fiche 6087644]</ref>

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{{RAOGKcourthouse}}

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The earliest white settlers of Worcester County were mostly religious dissenters voting with their feet by moving north from [[Accomack County, Virginia|Accomack County, Virginia]] starting in the late 1630s. All social classes from gentlemen to freed indentured servants settled in the area. There is no evidence that transported convicts ever settled in Worcester as in other parts of [[Maryland|Maryland]] and [[Virginia]]. The settlers were first attracted by furs, and by slowly expanding small farms in the forests. The ancestors of early Worcester settlers were almost all British.<ref>Reginald V. Truitt, and Millard G. Les Callette, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3016672&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results Worcester County Maryland’s Arcadia] (Snow Hill, Md.: Worcester County Historical Society, 1977), 23-24, 33. [FHL book 975.221 H2t; fiche 6087644]</ref>

Before long [[Virginia]] authorities were giving land grants in the area over objections from [[Maryland|Maryland]]. Virginia granted 27,800 acres of land to settlers in Worcester from 1645-1666, more than Maryland had granted. After many disputes the Maryland was forced to recognize most of these Virginia grants. Lord Baltimore’s official [[Maryland Land and Property|Maryland proprietary land grants]] started in Worcester in 1651. Many of his grants were large 3,000 and 4,000 acre grants.<ref name="WCMA" />

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<br>

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[[Maryland|Maryland]] continued to dispute her border with [[Pennsylvania]] as well until the drawing of the Mason-Dixon Line in 1767. Old Worcester County was created about 1669 absorbing now extinct [[Durham County, Maryland|Durham County]], and for awhile in 1672 claimed nearly all of the state of [[Delaware]]. But by 1685 the British Board of Trade and Foreign Plantations ruled [[Worcester (old) County, Maryland|old Worcester County, Maryland]] dissolved by degree, but the decree was not fully accepted until 1738. However, in 1742 a new Worcester was Country reconstituted out of the eastern part of [[Somerset County, Maryland|Somerset County]].<ref>Reginald V. Truitt, and Millard G. Les Callette, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3016672&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results Worcester County Maryland’s Arcadia] (Snow Hill, Md.: Worcester County Historical Society, 1977), 39, 43, 46, 48. 51-52. [FHL book 975.221 H2t; fiche 6087644]</ref>

In 1684 [[Maryland Land and Property|Maryland’s proprietary land grant system]] was replaced with a land-for-fee system which attracted large numbers of new settlers. For awhile tobacco was important both as a crop and as currency, but Worcester’s sandy soil could not grow the best quality. By 1700 indentured servitude began to decline and lifetime slavery became more prominent.<ref>Reginald V. Truitt, and Millard G. Les Callette, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3016672&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results Worcester County Maryland’s Arcadia] (Snow Hill, Md.: Worcester County Historical Society, 1977), 24-26. [FHL book 975.221 H2t; fiche 6087644]</ref>

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<br>[[Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills|Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills]]

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By 1662 Quaker and Presbyterian “dissenters” leaving Episcopalian [[Virginia]], together with some of their Episcopalian neighbors, and a few Huguenots were among the first settlers in Worcester County. Baptist ministers, including Francis Makemie, arrived in 1735. In 1766 Methodist circuit riders began to appear including William Barnes and Lorenzo Dow. In 1878 the first Catholic church, and in 1903 the first Jewish synagogue were built.<ref>Reginald V. Truitt, and Millard G. Les Callette, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3016672&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results Worcester County Maryland’s Arcadia] (Snow Hill, Md.: Worcester County Historical Society, 1977), 375-412. [FHL book 975.221 H2t; fiche 6087644]</ref>

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=== Quick Facts ===

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==== Parent County ====

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The county is named after Mary Arundell, the wife of Sir John Somerset. Her sister married [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A6cilius_Calvert,_2nd_Baron_Baltimore Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore].<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Maryland_county_name_etymologies "List of Counties in Maryland,"] Wikipedia.</ref>

The 300 or fewer American Indians of Worcester county for the most part avoided fighting and preferred living next to their new British neighbors. They left the county by 1748 eventually ending up in [[Ontario|Ontario]].<ref name="reg">Reginald V. Truitt, and Millard G. Les Callette, {{WorldCat|3016672}} Worcester County Maryland’s Arcadia] (Snow Hill, Md.: Worcester County Historical Society, 1977), 3-5. ▲ {{FHL|258278|item}}</ref>

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The first English/Scottish&nbsp;settlers of Worcester County were mostly religious dissenters (generally Presbyterian),&nbsp;voting with their feet by moving north from [[Accomack County, Virginia|Accomack County, Virginia]] starting in the late 1630s. All social classes from gentlemen to freed indentured servants settled in the area. There is no evidence that transported convicts ever settled in Worcester as in other parts of [[Maryland|Maryland]] and [[Virginia]]. The settlers were first attracted by furs, and by slowly expanding small farms in the forests. The ancestors of early Worcester settlers were almost all British.<ref name="reg" />

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Before long [[Virginia]] authorities were giving land grants in the area over objections from [[Maryland|Maryland]]. Virginia granted 27,800 acres of land to settlers in Worcester from 1645-1666, more than Maryland had granted. After many disputes the Maryland was forced to recognize most of these Virginia grants. Lord Baltimore’s official [[Maryland Land and Property|Maryland proprietary land grants]] started in Worcester in 1651. Many of his grants were large 3,000 and 4,000 acre grants.<ref name="reg" />

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[[Maryland|Maryland]] continued to dispute her border with [[Pennsylvania]] as well until the drawing of the Mason-Dixon Line in 1767. Old Worcester County was created about 1669 absorbing now extinct [[Durham County, Maryland|Durham County]], and for awhile in 1672 claimed nearly all of the state of [[Delaware]]. But by 1685 the British Board of Trade and Foreign Plantations ruled [[Worcester (old) County, Maryland|old Worcester County, Maryland]] dissolved by degree, but the decree was not fully accepted until 1738. However, in 1742 a new Worcester was Country reconstituted out of the eastern part of [[Somerset County, Maryland|Somerset County]].<ref name="reg" />

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In 1684 [[Maryland Land and Property|Maryland’s proprietary land grant system]] was replaced with a land-for-fee system which attracted large numbers of new settlers. For awhile tobacco was important both as a crop and as currency, but Worcester’s sandy soil could not grow the best quality. By 1700 indentured servitude began to decline and lifetime slavery became more prominent.<ref name="reg" />

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By 1662 Quaker and Presbyterian “dissenters” leaving Episcopalian [[Virginia]], together with some of their Episcopalian neighbors, and a few Huguenots were among the first settlers in Worcester County. Baptist ministers, including Francis Makemie, arrived in 1735. In 1766 Methodist circuit riders began to appear including William Barnes and Lorenzo Dow. In 1878 the first Catholic church, and in 1903 the first Jewish synagogue were built.<ref name="reg" />

Maryland State Archives' ''[http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/religion/cfm/dsp_county.cfm Guide to Maryland Religious Institutions]'' identifies all churches known to have existed in Worcester County, Maryland. It covers all denominations and includes record descriptions. The following records, taken from its collection, have been digitized and made available to view for free online:

Maryland State Archives' ''[http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/religion/cfm/dsp_county.cfm Guide to Maryland Religious Institutions]'' identifies all churches known to have existed in Worcester County, Maryland. It covers all denominations and includes record descriptions. The following records, taken from its collection, have been digitized and made available to view for free online:

*[http://www.makemie.com/ Presbyterian, Makemie Memorial Church], Snow Hill, Md.&nbsp; The church office has photographs of tombstones in the "old section" of the cemetary and recordings of the epitaphs. <ref>Makemie Memorial Presbyterian Church: http://www.makemie.com/Church%20history%20final.pdf [accessed February 16, 2012]</ref>

The [http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/speccol/sc4300/sc4341/html/search.html New ''Early Settlers of Maryland''] database is a great place to start searching for immigrants who had arrived in the colony by the 1680s. The database "comprises 34,326 entries from Gust Skordas' ''Early Settlers of Maryland'' and Carson Gibb's ''Supplement to the Early Settlers of Maryland''." Available online, courtesy: [http://www.msa.md.gov/ Maryland State Archives].

The [http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/speccol/sc4300/sc4341/html/search.html New ''Early Settlers of Maryland''] database is a great place to start searching for immigrants who had arrived in the colony by the 1680s. The database "comprises 34,326 entries from Gust Skordas' ''Early Settlers of Maryland'' and Carson Gibb's ''Supplement to the Early Settlers of Maryland''." Available online, courtesy: [http://www.msa.md.gov/ Maryland State Archives].

Through a Joint eGovernment Service of the [http://www.courts.state.md.us/ Maryland Judiciary] and the [http://www.msa.md.gov/ Maryland State Archives], free images and indexes of the complete series of Worcester County Deed Books (1742-present) have been uploaded to their website: [http://mdlandrec.net/msa/stagser/s1700/s1741/cfm/index.cfm MDLandRec.Net: A Digital Image Retrieval System for Land Records in Maryland]. (Requires free registration.)

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==== Land ====

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=== Maps ===

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Through a Joint eGovernment Service of the [http://www.courts.state.md.us/ Maryland Judiciary] and the [http://www.msa.md.gov/ Maryland State Archives], free images and indexes of the complete series of Worcester County Deed Books (1742-present) have been uploaded to their website: [http://mdlandrec.net/msa/stagser/s1700/s1741/cfm/index.cfm MDLandRec.Net:&nbsp;A Digital Image Retrieval System for Land Records in Maryland]. (Requires free registration.)

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=== Military History and Records ===

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==== Local Histories ====

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==== Revolutionary War ====

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==== Maps ====

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*''A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]''. 1841. Digital version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=W7JYAAAAMAAJ Google Books] ''et. al''. 1967 reprint: {{FHL|282860|item}} 973 X2pc 1840. [See Maryland, Worcester County on page 128.]

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==== Military ====

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==== War of 1812 ====

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*''List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance...'' Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. {{FHL|286899|item}} 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at [http://books.google.com/books?id=t7oqAAAAMAAJ Google Books] and [http://www.archive.org/details/listpensionerso02buregoog Internet Archive]. [See Vol. 5, Maryland, Worcester County, pp. 159-160. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

==== Newspapers ====

==== Newspapers ====

Line 158:

Line 202:

*Worcester County newspapers are identified in [http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/newspapers/cfm/dsp_county.cfm "Guide to Maryland Newspapers,"] available online, courtesy: [http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/cfm/index.cfm Special Collections, Maryland State Archives].

*Worcester County newspapers are identified in [http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/newspapers/cfm/dsp_county.cfm "Guide to Maryland Newspapers,"] available online, courtesy: [http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/cfm/index.cfm Special Collections, Maryland State Archives].

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==== Probate ====

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=== Probate Records ===

For information about the Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills and its records, click [[Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills|here]].

For information about the Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills and its records, click [[Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills|here]].

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==== Taxation ====

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=== Taxation ===

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==== Vital Records ====

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*'''[1783] '''[http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/stagser/s1400/s1437/html/1437wo.html Worcester County Tax List of 1783]: This is an alphabetical index to names to all property owners assessed. The index cards at the [http://www.msa.md.gov/ Maryland State Archives] include county, hundred, names of tracts of land and whether individuals were paupers or single males as provided in the law.

*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localitydetails&subject=189856&subject_disp=Maryland%2C+Worcester&columns=*,0,0 FamilySearch.org] Family History Library Catalog for Worcester County.

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*{{FHL|189856|subject-id|disp=FamilySearch.org}} Family History Library Catalog for Worcester County.

Quick Facts

The 300 or fewer American Indians of Worcester county for the most part avoided fighting and preferred living next to their new British neighbors. They left the county by 1748 eventually ending up in Ontario.[3]

The first English/Scottish settlers of Worcester County were mostly religious dissenters (generally Presbyterian), voting with their feet by moving north from Accomack County, Virginia starting in the late 1630s. All social classes from gentlemen to freed indentured servants settled in the area. There is no evidence that transported convicts ever settled in Worcester as in other parts of Maryland and Virginia. The settlers were first attracted by furs, and by slowly expanding small farms in the forests. The ancestors of early Worcester settlers were almost all British.[3]

Before long Virginia authorities were giving land grants in the area over objections from Maryland. Virginia granted 27,800 acres of land to settlers in Worcester from 1645-1666, more than Maryland had granted. After many disputes the Maryland was forced to recognize most of these Virginia grants. Lord Baltimore’s official Maryland proprietary land grants started in Worcester in 1651. Many of his grants were large 3,000 and 4,000 acre grants.[3]

Maryland continued to dispute her border with Pennsylvania as well until the drawing of the Mason-Dixon Line in 1767. Old Worcester County was created about 1669 absorbing now extinct Durham County, and for awhile in 1672 claimed nearly all of the state of Delaware. But by 1685 the British Board of Trade and Foreign Plantations ruled old Worcester County, Maryland dissolved by degree, but the decree was not fully accepted until 1738. However, in 1742 a new Worcester was Country reconstituted out of the eastern part of Somerset County.[3]

In 1684 Maryland’s proprietary land grant system was replaced with a land-for-fee system which attracted large numbers of new settlers. For awhile tobacco was important both as a crop and as currency, but Worcester’s sandy soil could not grow the best quality. By 1700 indentured servitude began to decline and lifetime slavery became more prominent.[3]

By 1662 Quaker and Presbyterian “dissenters” leaving Episcopalian Virginia, together with some of their Episcopalian neighbors, and a few Huguenots were among the first settlers in Worcester County. Baptist ministers, including Francis Makemie, arrived in 1735. In 1766 Methodist circuit riders began to appear including William Barnes and Lorenzo Dow. In 1878 the first Catholic church, and in 1903 the first Jewish synagogue were built.[3]

Census

Federal

Church History and Records

Maryland State Archives' Guide to Maryland Religious Institutions identifies all churches known to have existed in Worcester County, Maryland. It covers all denominations and includes record descriptions. The following records, taken from its collection, have been digitized and made available to view for free online:

Gazetteers

History

Immigration and Emigration

The New Early Settlers of Maryland database is a great place to start searching for immigrants who had arrived in the colony by the 1680s. The database "comprises 34,326 entries from Gust Skordas' Early Settlers of Maryland and Carson Gibb's Supplement to the Early Settlers of Maryland." Available online, courtesy: Maryland State Archives.

Maps

Military History and Records

Revolutionary War

A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital version at Google Bookset. al. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Maryland, Worcester County on page 128.]

War of 1812

List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Maryland, Worcester County, pp. 159-160. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Newspapers

Probate Records

For information about the Worcester County, Maryland Register of Wills and its records, click here.

Taxation

[1783] Worcester County Tax List of 1783: This is an alphabetical index to names to all property owners assessed. The index cards at the Maryland State Archives include county, hundred, names of tracts of land and whether individuals were paupers or single males as provided in the law.